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JOHN C. iRlGGS, OFv ANSCNIA, CONNECTICUT.

Letters .Patent No. 100,009, lated February 22, 1870.

oRGAN on MELODEON ACTION.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.I

To all whom r't may concern:

Bo it known that I, JOHN C. BRIGGs, of Ansonia, in the county of NewHaven, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and improved Organand Melodeon Action; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof', which will enable othersskilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings forming part ot' this specification.

Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of my improved organand melodeon action.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section ofthe same.

Figure 3 is a plan or top view of the same.

Similar letters of reference "indicate corresponding parts.

This invention has for its object to so arrange the action ot' all reedor pipe 4instruments that an extra or sub-base note of the lowest keybelonging to a chord of music can be played without requiring that extranote belongingv to either of the keys of which such chord is composedbeing played. The solos played by the left hand can therefore be keptfree of bass-notes with the exception ofthe lowest, all the others beingtreble notes.

Any independent part of any musical composition can therefore be playedupon the keyboard o t' a reed or pipe instrument. Inversely the sameinvention is applicable tothe playing of an extra treble note ot' thehighest key belonging to the chord, without playing any more treblenotes of the same chord.

The invent-ion consists in the general arrangement ot' a double or stilllarger set ot' levers, one pair or more for each key, and of a rotarydrum bea-ring a series of cams, whereby either one of a set of levers orall at once can be thrown in action to produce the de- Cue of the leversof each key is adjusted to play on one instrument, and the other leverto another. One

may he a bass, the other a treble instrument. In this way any suitableorchestral effect can be produced by playing alternately on thedifferent instruments or by uniting the same notes of all iu one tone.

A in the drawing is the frame of the instrument. B C are two sets oflevers arranged therein.

The keys D are so set that cach can move two levers at once, one leverof each set being lower than the other, as shown.`

The levers are by springs a a held upon a rotary drum or shaft, E, whichis hung transversely in the frame, and which has series of cams b b,whereby the levers can be raised. Each lever sustains a rod by which thevalve of the instrument can he opened.

The levers B have the rods F,and the levers C the rods G. When by a cama lever is raised, it will hold its rod high enough to reach theinstrument to play the required note.` \Vhen, however, a lever rests onthe drum, it holds the rod too low to allow of its effecting the music.

The rods F F belong to one instrument, and those, G, to another.

The cams b are arranged in pairs to act always at once upon a pair oflevers of the same instrument.

The drum can be connected with suitable apparatus to be easily revolvedat the option of the player.

When the two lowest rods F F of the bass row are raised, those of thetreble row G are also raised, so that of the saine chord the lowest'notecan be played on the bass instrument, the other on the trebleinstrument. If desired, the saine notes can at once be played on' allthe several instruments, thereby producing an orchestral effect.Inversely when the two highest rods G are raised, those below it are alllowered and those ofthe F row detached. Instead of having two sets oflevers on each key and two instruments, there may be more sets ot'levers and instrument-s.

.. Having thus described my invention,

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentrlhe combinationof two sets -of levers, B C, keys D, springs a a, cam-drum E b, and rodsFG, all constructed and arranged as and for the purpose specified.

The above specification of my invention signed by me, this 24th day ofAugust, 1860.

l JOHN C. BRIGGS.

Witnesses:

Gno W. MABEE, ALEX. F. RoBEBTs.

